After being endorsed by Albany County Executive Dan McCoy, left, Democratic County Legislator Shawn Morse, right, announces his candidacy for state Senate against Neil Breslin in the 44th Senate District, during a gathering of supporters at Ogden Mills apartments in Cohoes N.Y. Wednesday May 2, 2012. (Michael P. Farrell/Times Union archive) less

After being endorsed by Albany County Executive Dan McCoy, left, Democratic County Legislator Shawn Morse, right, announces his candidacy for state Senate against Neil Breslin in the 44th Senate District, ... more

ALBANY — One way or another, you can trace more than 40 percent of the money fueling Albany County Legislator Shawn Morse's primary bid against state Sen. Neil Breslin to a Bronx senator and the breakaway legislative conference he leads.

Sen. Jeff Klein, D-Bronx, and the Independent Democratic Conference each sent the legal maximum — $10,300 — to the Morse campaign. A Times Union review found evidence he bundled much more: another $28,000 from entities rooted outside the Capital Region who had previously donated to Klein or the other three IDC senators, including $20,000 from New York City real estate interests who have backed Klein or Senate Republicans.

The Democratic primary between Morse, a Cohoes firefighter, and Delmar's Breslin, the middle brother of a prominent political family, has centered on questions of class, legislative effectiveness and feuds among area Democratic factions.

But it has also become a local referendum on the IDC, a group poised to affect the balance of power in the closely divided Senate.

"They're Democrats that I would like to see come back into the conference," said Breslin. "But I'm very disappointed that they would give financial support — both directly and indirectly — to run a campaign against me."

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Klein split from the larger Democratic conference in 2011 as Republicans took the chamber's majority after two years of Democratic control. Klein was their deputy leader and chaired the political operation, but said he became frustrated by infighting that often led to inaction.

IDC members represent urban and suburban areas similar to the new 44th District, which contains Bethlehem, Colonie and urban areas in Rensselaer and Albany counties straddling the Hudson River.

The IDC has pushed for fiscal prudence as it championed progressive issues like same-sex marriage and raising the state's minimum wage. But it plays footsie with Senate Republicans: IDC senators voted for a GOP budget plan as well as chamber rules that stripped the lieutenant governor of his limited tie-breaking powers.

In turn, Republicans have treated the breakaway senators well. They received extra funding for legislative aides, and their bills advance through the Republican-controlled chamber more readily than those of mainline Democrats. The Senate now has 33 Republicans, 25 Democrats and the four of the IDC; if the makeup tilts so neither the GOP or regular Democrats hold a clear majority, the IDC could provide critical votes for the Senate leadership.

Dan Hornick, Breslin's campaign manager, said Morse is "in the pocket of downstate interests and their Senate Republican allies."

Countered IDC spokesman Eric Soufer: "We hope that Sen. Breslin will keep his focus on his constituents and his new district rather than being distracted by the IDC's record of accomplishments in the progressive community."

Klein has openly praised Morse, saying last month during a radio interview that he contributed to his campaign hoping to "grow" the IDC's ranks. He has attacked Breslin and other mainstream Senate Democrats, likening them to "a circular firing squad."

Klein refused to talk to the Times Union about Morse or the supposed bundling, and none of the contributors returned calls explaining how they had met Morse.

The candidate denied Klein had directed the contributions, and said they came after hundreds of unsolicited cold calls. He said he hasn't thought about whether he might join the IDC if he's elected.

"The majority of my money came from local people who have known me for a long time," Morse said. "I've done no promising to people from New York City. All I've done is what every other politician who is running for office has had to do, which is make hundreds and hundreds of phone calls asking people for money."

The Breslin campaign said it was curious that $9,000 in donations were made to Morse's campaign committee for the County Legislature in the days surrounding an April 18 fundraiser at the Fort Orange Club, for which the suggested contribution was $1,000. Morse did not formally announce his Senate bid until May, though the Times Union reported on his interest in March.

According to required campaign finance disclosures, the donations include $1,000 from a Bronx podiatry office and a waste hauling station as well as checks from three LLCs — special legal entities that are used in business to limit liability, but which commonly provide a filter for contributors allowed by New York's campaign finance laws.

Morse did not recall the donors.

"The funny thing about fundraising is they send money from about 55,000 different PACs, so even myself, I don't always realize that one group sent it," he explained. "Honestly, unless it's brought to my attention — like, 'Hey, Shawn, this is a group that, you know, supports slaughtering horses at the racetrack and you took $500 from them' — I have no reason to look check to check to check."

His Senate campaign amassed a total of $117,830 in the first six months of 2012 — nearly matching Breslin's $128,487 haul.

Morse has also criticized his opponent's fundraising, noting Breslin raised $29,500 from insurance companies and their lobbyists, more than any other Senate Democrat, and is therefore "addicted to their money, and their lobbyists prescribe actions that lead to more middle-class pain and suffering."

Breslin is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Insurance Committee. On Thursday, he announced he had been named secretary of the National Conference of Insurance Legislators.

Incumbents of both parties often raise campaign contributions from entities within their sphere of influence. Hornick said Breslin's most significant legislation in recent years has benefited insurance consumers, including laws that mandate coverage for autism treatments and require state regulators to pre-approve rate hikes.